Through the Eyes of an Orangetheory Member: 7 Phases of an OT Fitness Journey

From first learning the workout to achieving your fitness goals and becoming a recognized part of our Fit Fam, Orangetheory members have fun throughout every phase of their fitness journey with us. Minnetonka, are you ready to join the OT Nation?

We know you’re excited to become a member of Orangetheory Minnetonka when we open. And we know you’re absolutely going to crush every step of your fitness journey! Your first few days may be a whirlwind as you learn words like base, push, all out, and splat points for the first time. But in just a few months’ time, you’ll be amazed at how much progress you make.

There’s plenty to enjoy about every phase of your Orangetheory fitness journey, and we’re excited to start this adventure with you! We all go at our own pace, but through an OT member’s eyes, our fitness journey looks a little something like this:

Awe & Enthusiasm

Months 0-1

Everything will be bright, new, and ORANGE! You’ll get to use a rower for the first time. You’ll learn two dozen free weight and TRX moves. You may feel a little lost and overwhelmed, but you start to follow along with the pulse of the class and quickly realize that your OT coach always has got your back.

You’ll tell all your friends about your fun new workout and send them your performance summary after each session to humblebrag about how many calories you torch. You’ll explain splat points to them at least five times and will probably have at least two friends promise they’ll eventually try the workout with you. You may check in to OT Minnetonka on Facebook almost every time you’re at the studio and we know you’ll post at least one selfie in your brand new Orangetheory shirt and OT Flex heart rate monitor.

The color orange will quickly occupy a special place in your heart—so much so that you’ll begin looking for new ways to incorporate it in your wardrobe. Orange sneakers? Go for it!

You feel excited and energetic, experiencing the full effects of the afterburn for the first time.

Orange Tip:Share your excitement with us on Instagram! Follow us @otfminnetonka and stay connected with your Orangetheory Minnetonka Fit Fam.

Adjusting

Months 1-2

It’ll still be new and exciting and you’ll truly love it, but you might suddenly realize how sore and tired you are. This just means the workout is working, and every fun, challenging class will push you in ways you’ve never pushed yourself before. You’ll adjust not only to the physical demands of the workout, but also to the effects outside of class—like going to bed earlier, sleeping more, and eating properly to fuel your body.

You might start to wonder if you can keep it up. Maybe you’ll alter your workout schedule to allow proper recovery time for your body. It’ll definitely be an adjustment period, but don’t worry. The energy of the class, the persistence of your peers, and the friendly push from your coaches will keep you going strong.

Empowered

Months 2-3

This is when you’ll feel like you’ve made it! During this phase, you’re keeping up with your workouts. You’ll know your personal base, push, and all out paces and what dumbbell weight to use to challenge yourself on those reps. You’ll even get the hang of proper rowing form (with a few friendly reminders from your coach).

Trust us. It’ll feel amazing knowing you can do it—and that you are doing it. You’ll be burning for a better life and a healthier you, and nothing will get in your way.

The sense of accomplishment you gain from Orangetheory will trickle into other aspects of your life as well. You’ll feel more confident in everything you do, from days at work to nights out on the town. Your clothes will fit better, your skin will take on a healthy glow, and you’ll be smiling more.

Upping the Ante

Months 4-6

Once you nail down the basics, you’ll be ready for more. You may increase your workouts from 2 or 3 days a week to 4 or even 5. You’ll push your speed and weight limits in class and set new personal records you never would have thought possible 6 months ago. You’ll take on fun Orangetheory fitness challenges like the Transformation Challenge, Dri- Tri, and Hell Week—and crush it.

OT Famous

Months 7-12

Orangetheory Minnetonka will be more than a gym—it’ll be your second home. It’s where you’ll get to see your Fit Fam. You’ll bond with the other members, coaches, and front desk staff. You’ll become known here. People may know your name and you may know theirs, but it will go beyond just the basic formalities. You’ll follow each other on Instagram. You’ll learn each other’s goals. You’ll get to know where they work, what they’re studying in school, when they’re getting married, and what sports their kids play—and they’ll know who you are, too.

You’ll walk in to the studio with your head held high, and you’ll deserve every bit of the recognition. You’ll get what Orangetheory is all about, and you’ll become part of the Orangetheory community. You’ll achieve true OT Famous status. And those Orangetheory outfits will look damn good on you, too!

The Lifestyler

1-2 Years

You’ll learn how to use the strength you gain from Orangetheory in other aspects of your life. You won’t just be active in the studio. You’ll get outside more: hiking, running, swimming, and playing sports. Maybe you’ll even run your first 5K or Marathon. Orangetheory will be one awesome part of your life, which will make other aspects of your life even better, too.

Orange Tip:: Once you achieve your target weight and reach all your goals for strength and health, don’t stop! While it can take over a year to build your dream life, letting your routine go for just a couple months is all it takes to lose everything you worked so hard for. Keep burning!

Pro Status

3+ Years

Once you achieve Pro Status, you may barely remember the times when you peeked at more experienced classmates to match your form to theirs when taking on a new move. Now, you become the role model. You’ll be a shining example of the right way to do Orangetheory and what real results look like. People in and out of Orangetheory Minnetonka are inspired by you.

By this point, your fitness journey may be far from over, but it’s also far from just beginning. You’ll feel great about where you’re at in Orangetheory and in life, and as you keep burning, you’ll be confident that your future is bright.

What Next?

Now that you’ve gotten the inside scoop on the Orangetheory member experience, we know you can’t wait to start burning! Sign up now to lock in our lowest rates before we open at Orangetheory Minnetonka.

Want another fun Orangetheory read? Click here to check out The 7 Stages of Orangetheory Fitness as it chronicles the daily feelings and experiences of a member before, during, and after the workout.